


Trial and error

by Firemoon_and_starlight



Series: FMA braids one-shots [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Determination, Gen, Grandmotherly pinako, Guilt, Hair Braiding, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-13 01:38:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14739648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firemoon_and_starlight/pseuds/Firemoon_and_starlight
Summary: Edward had always been independent, he liked to be able to do things by himself; but things aren't as easy as they used to be.





	Trial and error

It had been three weeks since Edward had suffered through the excruciating pain to receive his new limbs. It took a lot to get used to, even with the physical therapy. He could move the metal limbs, he could feel pressure, but he couldn't feel things like textures.

As soon as Ed could use his automail he was determined to do things on his own. Edward didn't care how many times he fell, Alphonse and Winry had both tried to help but he would never except it, he was going to walk by himself, without anyone's help.

Ever since Winry had braided Ed's hair it had become part of their morning routine. Ed would sit patiently while Winry would run her nimble fingers through his golden blonde hair till it was neatly tied back in a braid. One day, though, Alphonse showed interest in braiding Edwards' hair. 

"Brother, can I try to braid your hair?" Edward looked at his brother, the suit of armor was expressionless as always, but Al's voice was hesitant. "Sure Al," Ed said flashing his brother a grin. Ed could feel the gentle tugs as Alphonse separated his hair into three strands. Winry carefully coached Al on what to do next, but Al couldn't do it, the big gauntlets kept getting in the way and couldn't handle something as delicate as braiding hair. 

"I'm sorry brother," Al said letting Edward's hair fall back down. "I guess I still haven't gotten used to my new body," Al said looking at the heavy gauntlets like the burden Ed knew they were. "It's okay Al." But Ed knew it wasn't. It was his fault Al was stuck in a suit of armor instead of his old body. It was his fault that Al felt lousy because he couldn't do something as simple as braid hair. It was all his fault, Al probably hated him...

"It'll be okay." Ed reassured, "you can try again another time, I'm sure with a little practice you'll be a pro in no time!" 

That had been weeks ago, Ed now had automail, and because of that, he believed he had to do everything by himself, including braiding his hair. 

Ed sat on his bed at the Rockbell home, staring at the mirror. His hair hung down loosely at his shoulders, but to Ed it was a reminder of another thing he had to be able to do all by himself. 

Raising both flesh, and automail arm he gathered his loose hair to section it into three strands just like he had seen Winry do, so many times. His shoulder where flesh met metal ached painfully at the position, but Ed continued, his fingers fumbling with the pieces of hair. Wincing at the occasional sting as his hair got pulled and tangled in the automail. To put it simply, it was hard. He could move his automail, he could tell it what to do, but he couldn't feel with it, and that made braiding one hundred times harder. 

When he was done, Ed looked in the mirror; it didn't even look like a braid, except for maybe all the knots and tangles, it was a complete and utter mess. It was just like everything else he had done, made a mess and ruined it all. 

Ever since Ed lost his limbs he knew in the worlds eyes he was considered a cripple, but despite all scrapes and falls Edward had never felt like a cripple himself. That was until now. How was he going to get Al's body back if he couldn't even braid his own hair. What good was a cripple to his brother? 

Bringing his flesh hand to his face he rubbed at his eyes trying to push away the tears that threatened to spill down his face. Edward hated feeling so helpless. He never meant for any of this to happen, all they wanted was to see her smile again. "Mom," Ed whispered hoping that his silent plead would be heard that she could come back and make everything better. But that could never happen. So as the tears continued to fall down his face, Ed could only think of how disappointed their mother would be in him, and how he had failed Alphonse.

 

"Edward, do you..." Pinako's voice was cut short when she saw the slumped over boy with his hand covering his face; he was crying.

Pinako walked over towards Ed noting his knotted up hair. "Edward what's the meaning of this?" Pinako Asked straight to the point. 

Slowly Ed brought his watery golden eyes to meet Pinako's. "I - I tried to." Ed gestured weakly to his hair. 

A moment of realization, Pinako knew exactly what had happened.

"It's all my fault" Ed sobbed shaking his head "I've turned everything into such a horrible mess. I don't know if I'm going to be able to fix it."

Pinako sighed getting the feeling Edward wasn't just talking about the disastrous tangled state his hair was in.

She had known Edward and Alphonse Eric all their lives, watched them grow up side by side with her granddaughter. She had witnessed their grief after Trisha had died. Call it an old woman's intuition, but she knew that the boys were planning something bad. It was that night when Al came to their door in the suit of armor and carrying his brother's bloody unconscious body, that Pinako knew it was too late. The boys had both grieved after the loss of their mother, but now they suffered a much greater loss. They failed to bring her back just to lose her all over again, Al lost his body and now his soul was trapped in a suit of armor and Edward had lost a leg and an arm. 

Over the course of time, Pinako had witnessed too much of the brothers suffering. 

"Now, now," she tutted, picking up a brush from the bedside table "everything can be fixed in time, with the right tools and determination any mess can be fixed. And you Edward, have enough determination for two people. But there comes a time when you have to learn when you need to ask for help."

"But I did it," Ed choked, wiping away the tears with his flesh hand, "I need to fix it."

"I have complete faith that you will fix it, but you have people all around you who care about you, and want to help. There's no shame in asking for help." Pinako stated.

"Now, will you let me help you with that mess?" Pinako asked. Edward didn't say a word, just a shake of his head acknowledging and accepting her help. 

Gently, almost uncharacteristically so, Pinako brushed Edward's hair getting all the knots and tangles out. Then she braided it. Once it was neatly braided and tied back Pinako placed her hand on Ed's knee and said, "We better head back, Winry and Al will be wondering what's taking us so long." Together the both of them stood, Edward a little unsteady at first but a little stronger with each step. 

Before they excited the room Edward turned to Pinako, "Uh, Granny, thank you."

Pinako sighed, "There's no need to thank me, Ed, I just hope you've learned something."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! All comments/kudos are appreciated! Hope you all have a great day!


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